Nightly Companion
by SoulEaterMARLuver
Summary: What started out as a simple midnight escort of Kudo Himiko for Akabane Kurodou turns into an entertaining experience in more than just his definition of, "Interesting," and likewise for the poison expert. 1st proper Songfic, Dr.J x LP. More info inside.


My Last Breath

Nightly Companionship

Song Used: My Last Breath

Artist: Evanescence

Anime: Get Backers

Characters: Akabane Kuroudou, Kudo Himiko

Genre: Romance/General

Disclaimer: I do not own the anime Get Backers, its characters, plot, music, etc. and all copyrights are credited to its respective creator, artists, and seiyuu, thank you. I also am not in a contracted partnership with the American, alternative rock band, Evanescence. (Although, if I could own any specific characters, they would be Akabane and Himiko, 'cuz I think they're the best couple/pairing in the whole show! Go AK (Akabane Kurodou, aka, Dr. Jackal) and KH! (Kudo Himiko, aka, Lady Poison) Now, on to the story…

"Another job well done, neh, Himiko, Jackal?" The stocky driver asked his partners, and his tired, black eye's attention undivided from the bright glare the head lights revealed of the long, winding highway ahead of him. "Yeah, it was another easy one. Just load, deliver and leave the pestering thieves to you, Doctor Jackal," The tall, tanned, purple dressed teenager in the left passenger seat voiced, turning around in her seatbelt to look over at her black dressed partner sitting in the small cargo hold.

One leg was pulled up, a long sleeved arm resting over it, the other stretched out in front of him, his wide brimmed fedora tipped snuggly over his wispy, thick black hair and shadowing his squinty, close eyes and lips that grinned as he lifted his hat upwards to the female at the name's mention. "Of course it is so, Lady Poison, Mr. No Brake. Although it was swiftly simple, it was still quenching, nevertheless," The pleased man replied.

"Speak for yourselves, kids; I'm the one doing all the damn driving here," Mr. No Brake put in with agitated affection in his tone. "Yes, thank you Magumara; we really appreciate your tedious efforts. For without you, how would we reach every destination on such exact timing? Don't you agree, Himiko-san?" Doctor Jackal suggested, smiling sweetly at his curly matted, teal green haired partner for her consent.

"Completely, Jackal. You're very reliable, Mr. Gozo." She answered honestly and sneaked a glance at the man's satisfied grin in response to they're complements, saying, "Alright, you two; I'm just playing with you guys but it's good to know you care. Sit tight, 'cuz it'll be a bit 'till we reach you're place, Himiko."

Kudo Himiko and Akabane Kurodou sank back comfortably against the leather seat and metal interior, she deciding on watching the blurring dark, forest green pines, silhouetted mountains, highway road and railings and midnight sky through the window and he, dozing with a hat covering his expression, deep in thought to kill time.

About an hour went by, and the professional Transporters finally reached Shinjuku, Tokyo, and after maneuvering around mild traffic, some narrow alleys and close-knit apartment buildings, Mr. Gozu Magumara stopped his semi truck suddenly in the middle of a very small alleyway, being unable to move ahead because of the limited space and size of his truck. "Sorry, Himiko, but it looks like you'll have to go on foot," The man apologized.

"Its okay, Mr. Magumara; I know you've done your best and these stupid alleys are quite a pain, anyway," The sixteen year old reassured. "Okay, well, thanks for working with us again, Lady Poison. See ya next time!" The green dressed man said, happily waving her goodbye. "You too, Mr. No Brake! Thanks for dropping me off and have a safe trip home! Bye!" Himiko answered cheerfully.

The left side door opened quickly and her gentlemanly associate reached out his white, plastic gloved hand in exchange for one of her plain ones, "Shall I escort you the rest of the way home, Lady Poison?" "Yes, Doctor Jackal; I'd love that," She replied delightfully, placing her hand in his and he helped her jump out of the truck's passenger seat and land firmly on her purple, open-cut, shoed feet on the surface of the cracked, smelly cement.

He offered her his right arm for her to slip her left, bare forearm in and around, and she accepted immediately. As the walking pair rounded the sharply cut, brick apartment corner, a loud honk sounded behind them, and they could just make out Mr. No Brake's waving sign through the intense gaze of the headlights. Himiko waved back enthusiastically, the seven foot, mid-twenty year old lifted his left hand in occupied acknowledgment and it disappeared into his pant's pockets as they continued down the next tight, gloomy, alleyway leading to many other narrow, walking side-streets. While they paced calmly, Himiko found herself constantly drawn from the ebony blanket around them to the lanky, shadow-like form of the man next to her (who seemed to have great night vision).

_**Hold on to me love, **_

_**You know I can't stay long,**_

_**All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid,**_

_**Can you hear me?**_

_**Can you feel me in your arms?**_

Akabane Kurodou was always faced every situation as an experienced, mannered, charming, deceiving killer. Everything about him suggested professional elegance; like his flowing, black trench coat, plain white collared, button dress shirt, neatly made black tie, that stretching and towering, black hat nestled on his disheveled, free mane, his shapely black pants, dress shoes and those white gloves that could be found either holding the hat down in place, hidden from view in his pockets or holding four long, sharp, shining scalpels with a sadistic smile.

His pale, sharply angled face with it's thick, black eyelashes closed most of the time, except when he was truly happy, excited, or serious and revealed narrow, tainted violet orbs, thinned eyebrows quirked up or down according to his mood, a long, pointy nose, and thin, unscarred lips, followed by a rounded chin with an amused, wide, sincere smile completed his ordinary appearance.

However, his personality could be hard to judge but when you've worked with him for a time, you get to see the main, changing stages he expresses. He usually puts on the act that he's entertained or made distant from the outside environment and always remains courteous and cunning and enjoys talking at leisure with the other people, even to his opponents who will die shortly at his knife-wielding hand(s).

Then, there's those moments when he's dead serious, an emphasis on dead because that's how the situations end; with someone or something getting sliced to shreds. He will also repeat his morals for taking on a job; being that he gauges the worth of it by how much 'fun' he may have doing it and warning to not interrupt his pleasure to anyone who challenges his belief and needs reminding.

Another notable point about Doctor Jackal's speech was that whatever he said came out soft, carefully, and fluidly, like curving handwriting or calligraphy, and almost always had a double-meaning, or hidden meaning to it that pronounced how educated and easily he could see through twisting lies and face the real truth.

_**Holding my last breath,**_

_**Safe inside myself,**_

_**Are all my thoughts of you,**_

_**Sweet raptured light,**_

_**It ends here tonight**_

"Would you like to share what you're pondering over, Himiko-san? You seem so…indulged," The man asked curiously, looking down at her shoulder-height face.

"Well, you've got great night vision, Doctor," She stated, her pair of dark blue eyes held to his close-eyed, content smile.

"Yes, I do believe so. But isn't there something more interesting you've to tell besides something so trivial?" He pursued.

"I-I guess so…" She began, hoping he would leave it at that.

"What might it be? Something about me, perhaps?" He inquired, his smile deepening.

"Maybe I'll tell you if you can get it from me," She dared slyly.

"My, what an intriguing piece of information for you to be coy about it, Lady Poison," He obliged.

"Very, I can assure you," She said, her illuminated blue eyes dancing.

"Then I will do my best to capture it," He vowed humorously.

"We'll see, Doctor Jackal," She muttered skeptically.

"Indeed, Lady Poison." He murmured pleasantly and they fell silent.

Several long, moving shadows along the brick alley walls that were only visible from faint street lights and spilling moonlight followed the two at a cautious distance; receding and stalking. Akabane had noticed it for sometime now, believing it to be annoying, uncouth and cowardly and so as they were turning the corner to walk the sidewalks of Shinjuku, Tokyo; he inconspicuously sent four, flying, gleaming silver scalpels into the shrouded darkness behind his back and tilted his black-haired head backwards slightly. The incision surgical knives hit all four, hidden targets; as despairing moans, slumps of falling bodies and silence followed quickly. He smiled devilishly inward at his obvious success, mentally thinking, _'Bloody Stream upholds its reputation,'_ and returned his gaze forward so Himiko wouldn't suspect anything.

Raw, tearing winds gusted through the night streets lighted by lampposts, causing Himiko to unconsciously close her arms tightly around Akabane's, gripping his black sleeve with balled fists while pressing her purple, skintight form against his strong, slim figure for warmth and comfort against the cruel kaze. He merely placed an insistent hand on to his hat's high top to keep it from flying away into the night and pressed himself against her side sympathetically for her lack of jacket until the wind passed through.

_**I'll miss the winter,**_

_**A world of fragile things,**_

_**Look for me in the white forest**_

_**Hiding in a hollow of a tree (Come find me)**_

Although the frosty air left, the young woman still clung to him fiercely, shivering slightly, as if the wind was still blowing inside of her and he noticed thin, rolling tears crawling down her tanned face that she wiped away herself. So, as a caring partner, he gently pried her fingers loose, took off his single button trench coat and patiently helped her into it and resumed they're previous arm link.

_**I know you hear me,**_

_**I can taste it in your tears,**_

"T-Thank you, Akabane," Himiko stuttered, smiling gratefully as she pulled the divided sections closer together into herself with her free right hand, finding it cozy.

"Your welcome, Himiko-san. I'm happy I could ease your chills." Akabane replied.

"You're sure you're okay? You can have it back if you get cold," She said, eying his light, white dress shirt dubiously before flicking back up at him.

"I'm fine. Don't worry; you may keep it until we reach your residence. After all, your health and comfort is more important," He returned.

She just nodded appreciatively and laid her teal green haired head against the white, polyester-cotton shoulder of his shirt, rubbing her cheek over the material with closed eyes and heaved a small, wary sigh. His thin eyebrows rose a little, not expecting this reaction but dismissed it, and chuckling lightly; he pulled the end of his sunhat down over his face and skimmed his gloved, right hand over the left of her smooth, tanned cheek. Himiko smiled contently at his cool, plastic touch and she let herself doze off.

_**Holding my last breath,**_

_**Safe inside myself,**_

_**Are all my thoughts of you,**_

_**Sweet raptured light,**_

_**It ends here tonight,**_

Listening to the faint, consistent tap of they're feet on pavement, the soft rustle of his clothing. Moving with the rise and fall of his chest's even breathing. Feeling the tickles of his askew, black tendrils on the small, red star imprint below her right eye of that cheek and smelling his lingering, surprisingly sweet, metallic and blood-tinged scent.

_**Closing your eyes to disappear,**_

_**You pray your dreams will leave you here,**_

_**But still you wake and know the truth,**_

_**No one's there,**_

Akabane proceeded to guide the two of them the rest of the way, seeing as the poison mistress was rapidly falling asleep. _'I suppose she may have put too much effort in staying awake tonight; it was a late job_. _Adolescents do need a fair amount of sleep and noturnalism doesn't mix well with most. Still, it's a rewarding experience; being able to have fun and witness how vulnerable and lovely she can be with her guard lowered while sleeping, and all in one night,' _he thought, looking down at the girl's peaceful, tanned face with a mused smile.

When her head eventually slipped off his shoulder and tipped forward in sleep, he carefully lifted her bridal style into his arms, shifting her comfortably with a secure hold under her knees and around her back and purple-sleeved biceps. The left side of her head rested over his white-clothed chest and he made sure her arms stayed in her purple, spandex clad lap. She muttered a low, sleepy moan, snuggling her head further against his chest with a smile and stayed quiet until they reached her lonely, little gray house.

Akabane carried the sleeping Himiko down the unattended walkway, up the few steps that led right to her white door and placed her down as gently as a vase, propping her up against the doorway. He pulled out his ring of keys from his shirt's breast pocket, sifting through them to find her specific, silver, purple-end tabbed one she had given him awhile back. Finding it, he unlocked the door and picked her up again, carrying Himiko into her house and quietly closed the door with the back of his foot. Without turning on any lights, he laid her lean figure down carefully on her brown cushion sofa so as not to wake her. He also unbuttoned his coat and delicately slipped it off from underneath her and replaced it snuggly around his simple, single layer.

For a reasoning unknown to him, he remained standing beside her couch, watching the pristine moonlight bathe and glow over her. Letting a gloved hand glide aimlessly over her tanned face, the other fondling her short-rat-tailed, tousled, blue-green hair and bent down over Kudo Himiko's face, kissing her lips softly before silently rising and approaching the door. "Akabane…?" Murmured warmly from behind him, making him turn halfway to her stretched out position on her sofa, hands in his pockets.

"Yes, Himiko-san?" He prompted.

"Where are you going…" She questioned drowsily.

"I plan to go home now, Himiko. Is there anything you need before I leave?" He asked.

"Water, please…" She said.

"As you wish," He responded and walked into her moonlit kitchen, getting a medium sized glass from her wooden cupboards and filled it near to the brim with cold water and turned the tap off before returning to her side, cup held at reaching distance.

"Thanks, Jackal," She replied gratefully, sitting up, taking the glass and sipping it.

"No problem. I'm afraid I have to go now, though," He announced and began to walk away.

"Wait, Jackal!" She cried, choking on her water monetarily.

"What is it, Lady Poison?" He prodded.

"You're amazing, you know? You're always right there to support me when I fall," She admitted tenderly, smiling widely.

"It's one of my greatest pleasures to assist you in all possible methods. Now, good night, Himiko-chan," He whispered fondly, smiled back sincerely through closed eyes as he turned away again towards the door, opened it and stepped down the stairs and up the overgrown walkway.

The awakened young woman bounded off her couch eagerly and hurried to the agape door, leaning midway against it. She just wanted a last glimpse at the lanky, sauntering back of the man outlined in moonlight she had come to admire before he joined the rest of the inky, black backdrop of nighttime Shinjuku, Tokyo. "Good night, Jackal…" She whispered silkily to his almost undistinguishable frame, her blue eyes gleaming, following the traces of his flapping trench coat, broad hat and wavy hair before she closed the door at his definite departure.

_**Say goodnight,**_

_**Don't be afraid,**_

_**Calling me calling me as you fade to black,**_

Himiko slid down against the inside of her door, her facial expression smeared in dreamy, doubtfully fantasies. _'Akabane likes me? Really? He's so subtle and unpredictable about it and now that I know he's more romantic, it's something to think on over our next job. Or is he just entertaining himself by being friendly and when he drops the game, he'll push me away? This is Doctor Jackal here, so he's probably being serious, or joking? It's complicated to talk about, with us being unemotional at work but maybe we'll figure it out.' _The fretting teenager worried in thought. 

_**Holding my last breath,**_

'_Ah, this breeze is truly refreshing,'_ Akabane thought pleasantly, enjoying the air sweeping through his unruly, black mane and over his smooth, polyester-cotton clothing, '_though,_ _it's a shame that Himiko-chan is so frost-bitten for cold weather. Otherwise, I might have invited her out on a stroll but then again, she was practically fainting from fatigue, so it's probably better this way. I hope she's resting well right now,'_ he reflected, striding calmly down the well lit, late midnight streets alone with his gloved hands deep in his pockets.

'_Sometimes, it's safest to walk the shadowy streets by one's self then in pairs on beautifully, dangerous evenings; such as this one,'_ the death doctor reassured himself, feeling a little thrill of excitement when just at the moment, a gang of young thieves suddenly jumped from a dark corner. With a smiling facade, he greeted them with eight drawn, glimmering, raised scalpels from his hands and raced in they're direction swiftly.

_**Safe inside myself,**_

"Oh, it feels so good to be back in my bed again!" Kudo Himiko announced aloud happily from under her thick, soft, white covers while stretching luxuriously with a loud yawn in her baggy, violet shorts and black, spaghetti strap tank top. "Way better then Mr. No Brake's semi seat!" She turned over on her side, gripping one of her two long, white, fluffy pillows that her teal-green head lay on.

Letting her heavy eyelids slowly droop closed as she faced her wide window, gazing at the waxing, pure moon and glittering stars through glass. _'I wonder if Jackal's made it home yet, though. I hope so; he's such a generous guy, to me at least. Oh, I can almost see him through the moon…'_ The teenaged girl wondered, quickly drifting off to sleep for the second time that late night.

_**Are all my thoughts of you,**_

Akabane Kurodo let out a low-toned, amused laugh as he walked away from the carnage he created in the shadowed alley, pushing his hat down to mask his expression and stepped out onto the streets again. Numerous crimson red, engraved, "J's" marked all the backs of the unmoving, sprawled bodies, and obvious fear, shock and pain etched into the faces of nameless, young men who dared plunder from Doctor Jackal. Earning him a countless, constantly rising death toll of his homicidal victims that added to his already, fearsome reputation instantly.

While he moved, the hedonistic man tipped his hat upwards above his eyes, looking up at the full, glowing Midori with his ever-present smile. _'What a beautiful moon, it was great extra light for my fun. I'm very fortunate tonight, because I've been given the opportunities to experience a lot of excitement, so aside from the long truck rides on the job, I've been very well entertained.'_ He thought joyously, _"And my, how you enlighten me, Himiko-san, because I just can't seem to get you out of my mind. Not that I wish so, but your exquisite features still linger vividly in my memory.'_

_**Sweet raptured light,**_

'_I do hope I can participate in many more eventful nights similar to this one. Surely another fulfilling assignment awaits my future shortly? Possibly involving Lady Poison again? How I anticipate my occupation! I exist for the arousing simulation of an obsession in spilled blood; it fascinates me to no end! But I believe I've engaged myself in enough deaths tonight, so I'll head home for now and give my tired feet a well deserved break,' _Akabane Kurodou mentally dwelled and sped up his pace somewhat in a rush to get home to his apartment suite and catch up on some dawning hours of blissful, sane sleep.

_**It ends here tonight…**_


End file.
